


What is Safety, Anymore?

by InsightfulInsomniac



Category: Glee
Genre: Early!Klaine, Emotions, Fluff, M/M, dating!klaine, engaged!klaine, lots of them - Freeform, married!klaine, slight angst, soft moments
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-02
Updated: 2020-06-02
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:53:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24502678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InsightfulInsomniac/pseuds/InsightfulInsomniac
Summary: From the moment he met him, Blaine was always wholly safe to Kurt. As they grow older, how they think about safety (and cars) changes with their relationship.A look at what “safety” means to Kurt and Blaine’s relationship over time.
Relationships: Blaine Anderson/Kurt Hummel
Comments: 14
Kudos: 60





	What is Safety, Anymore?

**Author's Note:**

> Time for emotions, y’all. This is another installation in my lovely saga of over-analyzing tiny bits of Kurt and Blaine’s relationship!
> 
> Anyway, enjoy this emotional rant that I managed to turn into a fic.
> 
> Also, shoutout to elioelioelioelio here on AO3 for unintentionally inspiring the portion about family vacation car trips and Klaine falling asleep during them through their beautiful fic “Andante, Andante.” Please check it out for a lovely, moving read!

Even before they even get together and pretty much from the instant they met, Kurt always associated Blaine with being safe.

When he’s with Blaine, he feels safe. It’s as simple as that. Blaine quickly joined the very, very short list of people who get to see him for all that he is — and really, Blaine could even be classified as the only one. Because as much as he loves, trusts, and respects his dad, it’s not the same. And it’s not the same with Mercedes, or with Rachel, either. Blaine is different, and Blaine is wholly safe.

That doesn’t change when they transition into boyfriends, but safety is a word that becomes much more literal in practice for them. They have a conversation about PDA — don’t hold hands in public when they’re walking together, and nothing more than a quick hug if they can be seen by anyone who they don’t firmly trust. Those rules are subject to change depending on where they are (at Dalton, they held hands in the hallway more than a few times. When Blaine transfers to McKinley, it’s only when glee practice runs so late that they can walk out to their cars without the fear of being seen by people outside of the club), but there is one place outside of the Hudson-Hummel home that they classify as safe.

In the car, they’re in a little protective bubble where the world is limited to just them and whoever they trust enough to let into the safety of their bubble. They’re not naive to think that people couldn’t be watching, but holding hands or a quick kiss are never out of the question in the car. 

Even when other people are driving — even when it’s not their car, it’s still a safe world that they bring with them into the vehicles of their friends and family. On the occasional double-date with Rachel and Finn, if Kurt’s not driving like he normally is, they’ll sit in the back and hold hands across the bench seat, Blaine often scooting across to the middle seat after a few minutes of well-intentioned separation. Not that anyone expects any different, but they try not to be joined at the hip every second. Most of the time.

Being in the car with Finn and Rachel can be surprisingly comforting. Usually, Finn will drive with one hand on the wheel, the other behind Rachel’s headrest or in her hand. During the warm months, the windows will almost always be down and they’ll play music from the radio, singing along together until they get tired on the longer trips. Eventually, Rachel will be the only one left singing quietly, Blaine humming along occasionally as Kurt leans his head against his boyfriend’s shoulder, eyes closed and fully content.

On the rare day when they’re both in the car with Burt and Carole (and often Finn and Rachel as well), such as on a family vacations or day trip during the summer, the rides home after time well-spent relaxing and enjoying each other’s company are utterly serene. Finn dozes off within a few minutes of sitting in the car, and even Rachel quietly plugs in her earbuds and gazes between Finn and the moving scenery outside the window.

Kurt and Blaine, always claiming the back of the car for the bench seat, lounge against each other silently, trading random, soothing caresses up and down arms or gentle swipes of thumbs across the backs of interlocked hands.

They might even kiss a bit, if Kurt’s confident that his dad can’t spy on them in the rearview mirror (which he does more often than not). But just being together, holding each other close in the presence of friends and family, is more than enough for both of them. Besides, Burt would never make a big deal about the two of them kissing for the wrong reasons. Just for the dad reasons.

A few times, Kurt and Blaine fall asleep against each other on the rides home, Carole more than once gently shaking them awake when they arrive, rousing Kurt off of Blaine’s chest and Blaine’s arms from around Kurt. One time, irregardless of seatbelts, the two managed to shift in their sleep until they were laying in a rather contorted position across the backseat. Carole might still have the pictures.

As they get older, cars are still safe spaces, but they become even more _fun_. The two of them stretch their creativity beyond quick makeout sessions in each other’s driveway before they leave — and yeah, cars become more exciting spaces. Their glove compartments are soon strictly off-limits to other potential passengers.

Even when they’re not together, cars are a safe space for them to forget about that for a few minutes, to reunite in only a way they understand. Tina may have tried to interrupt them and Mercedes may have successfully forced them out of the car and onto her arms for Mr. Schue’s failed wedding, but while they were in it together, the only two things that mattered were them. Kurt and Blaine once again found their own little world in the backseat of a car, safe from labels and their pasts and all their mistakes. Even if only for a moment.

In New York, they lose that safe space. Suddenly, taxis and subway trains are their transportation, and neither offer the same private, intimate safety as a car that they have the keys to. With no cars, no walls, and two broken, struggling people in a relationship they so desperately cling to while simultaneously pulling each other under, it’s a recipe for disaster. What is safety, anymore?

They reunite many months later. Safety isn’t a car. Safety isn’t walls. Safety isn’t even an engagement ring and a crumbling promise. Safety is Blaine once again. And Kurt knows that he is also safety for Blaine once more.

Cars make a reappearance in their lives for a short while. The drive to their hotel after their spontaneous wedding, buzzing and bright with love and want and the feeling of _somehow being home_ on an empty road in rural Indiana, is a particularly memorable moment. When they drive with Blaine’s hand on Kurt’s thigh, their matching wedding rings glinting in the moonlight that reflects into their car, it is nearly too much in the most fulfilling possible way. The car is a safe space, yes, but they’re husbands, and that’s a promise of eternal safety wrapped up amongst a plethora of other daunting and thrilling commitments.

New York City welcomes them back as their home once more, again without cars but now with a solid foundation and unconditional love. They end where they began — with a safe place firmly rooted in the other person, traveling with them wherever they go, regardless of what vehicle they take for the journey.

**Author's Note:**

> Safety. It’s been on the world’s mind a lot lately in a lot of different ways. We all have different ideas of safety and what it means to us, but I do still want to continue to sincerely hope for all of you to stay safe out there right now. The world is hurting in so many ways. Stay safe to the best of your ability in whatever situations you find yourself in. I love you all.
> 
> If you ever need someone to talk to, about anything, please let me know. I’m here for all of you during these difficult times. No topic is too upsetting, controversial, or raw. I promise.
> 
> Anyway. Sending love and more fics your way as time goes on ❤️
> 
> Thanks for the endless support, as always.
> 
> Find me on Instagram: @insightful.insomniac
> 
> Find me on tumblr: @zigxzag-klaine


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